Many products incorporate components obtained from diverse sources. These components must be of a required quality and functionality and their source must therefore be assured. This is particularly critical where the components are an integral part of the overall product and can affect the performance of the product and the safety of the end user. Examples of such criticality include batteries used in computing and telecommunication devices, mechanical components used in aerospace and transport applications, and surgical tools used with medical imaging apparatus. Other applications where use of a counterfeit component may affect performance and cause collateral damage to the product include printer cartridges, memory cards and photographic lenses.